CPU
GPU
Radeon HD 7970M
Popular choices:
GRID M6-8Q
Popular choices:
Performance Spectrum - GPU
About G3D Mark
G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Radeon HD 7970M is positioned at rank 133 and the GRID M6-8Q is on rank 273, so the Radeon HD 7970M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Radeon HD 7970M
Performance Per Dollar GRID M6-8Q
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon HD 7970M is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 2.7% higher G3D Mark score and 100% more VRAM (4 GB vs 2 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the GRID M6-8Q.
| Insight | Radeon HD 7970M | GRID M6-8Q |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+2.7%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-2.7%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | Normal Efficiency | Normal Efficiency |
| Case Fit | — | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
While current pricing data is unavailable, the Radeon HD 7970M remains the clear technical winner. Check real-time availability to determine if the performance gap justifies the market price.
Performance Check
Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 7800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.
Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Radeon HD 7970M and GRID M6-8Q
Radeon HD 7970M
The Radeon HD 7970M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 24 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 850 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,663 points.
GRID M6-8Q
The GRID M6-8Q is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 30 2015. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 722 MHz. It has 1536 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,568 points.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 7970M scores 3,663 and the GRID M6-8Q reaches 3,568 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 7970M is built on GCN 1.0 while the GRID M6-8Q uses Maxwell 2.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,280 (Radeon HD 7970M) vs 1,536 (GRID M6-8Q). Raw compute: 2.176 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7970M) vs 2.218 TFLOPS (GRID M6-8Q).
| Feature | Radeon HD 7970M | GRID M6-8Q |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 3,663+3% | 3,568 |
| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | Maxwell 2.0 |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 1280 | 1536+20% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 2.176 TFLOPS | 2.218 TFLOPS+2% |
| ROPs | 32 | 64+100% |
| TMUs | 80 | 96+20% |
| L1 Cache | 320 KB | 576 KB+80% |
| L2 Cache | 0.5 MB | 2 MB+300% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 7970M | GRID M6-8Q |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | AMD Anti-Lag | Standard |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The Radeon HD 7970M comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the GRID M6-8Q has 2 GB. The Radeon HD 7970M offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: System vs 64-bit. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (Radeon HD 7970M) vs 2 MB (GRID M6-8Q) — the GRID M6-8Q has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7970M | GRID M6-8Q |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 4 GB+100% | 2 GB |
| Memory Type | Shared | GDDR5 |
| Bus Width | System | 64-bit |
| L2 Cache | 0.5 MB | 2 MB+300% |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 (11_1) (Radeon HD 7970M) vs 12_1 (GRID M6-8Q). Maximum simultaneous displays: 6 vs 0.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7970M | GRID M6-8Q |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 (11_1) | 12_1 |
| Max Displays | 6 | 0 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 7970M draws 100W versus the GRID M6-8Q's 100W — a 0% difference. The GRID M6-8Q is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD 7970M) vs 350W (GRID M6-8Q). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7970M | GRID M6-8Q |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 100W | 100W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 350W |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | PCIe-powered |
| Length | — | 1mm |
| Slots | 0 | 0 |
| Temp (Load) | 85°C | — |
| Perf/Watt | 36.6+3% | 35.7 |
Value Analysis
The GRID M6-8Q is the newer GPU (2015 vs 2012).
| Feature | Radeon HD 7970M | GRID M6-8Q |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | — | $1500 |
| Avg Price (30d) | — | $100 |
| Codename | Wimbledon | GM204 |
| Release | April 24 2012 | August 30 2015 |
| Ranking | #531 | #535 |
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